LEETON'S skies will again be filled with gliders for a unique competition over the Christmas and New Year period.
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The Formula 1.0 Gliding Grand Prix will again take flight from December 28 to January 4, with pilots from across Australia and overseas all heading to Leeton's Brobenah Airfield to take part.
The event has been growing from strength-to-strength since coming to Leeton at the end of 2017.
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This year will be no different, but unfortunately it does clash with the Women's World Gliding Championships.
However, numbers are still looking good ahead of the event.
"We've had a good number of entries," organiser Nick Gilbert said.
"We've got a few coming from overseas again, including one guy from Germany who hasn't missed an event (in Leeton) yet."
Last year's competition was won by Melbourne's Ben Loxton after a tough battle was fought out in the skies over big distances each day.
With dust having an impact last year during take off and landing, work has been happening in the lead up to the coming event to ensure this isn't the case this time around.
Earlier this year, council granted the Leeton Aviators Club $3494, who maintain the aerodrome, to assist with the purchase of materials to install pop up sprinklers to the north west/south east runway of the Brobenah Airfield to help solve the dust solution temporarily.
Mr Gilbert was in Leeton last week and popped into the aerodrome and couldn't believe his eyes.
"There's grass on the runway ... it's just amazing," he said.
"With the drought and everything going on, I do feel a bit bad to be worrying about the dust, but it's a safety issue.
"We're just so thankful to have the support of the council and the (aviators) club."
With the competition a much-needed boost each year to the local economy, residents can also take part with take-off around 1pm and landing about 5pm each day the best time to catch a glimpse of the gliders and have a chat with their pilots.
"We'd love to see plenty of people out there," Mr Gilbert said.
"Everyone is more than welcome."
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